From the moment we are born our skin lives a tough life exposed to the elements and to what we do to it. It isn't until we hit our twenties or thirties that we really start to think about our skin showing wear and tear and what anti aging skin products might be able to do for us. Before we look at the best anti aging skin care that can help in the fight against aging, it is important to understand what causes aging.

Ageing skin tends to occur when collagen and elastin production starts to slow down - and this starts in our twenties, but the effects do not really become apparent until many years later. The middle layer of our skin, beneath the outer epidermal layer, is called the Dermis and is made of a tight grid of collagen and elastin fibers. The role of collagen is for structural rigidity and the elastin for the elasticity and resilience of the skin. The health of the dermal layer is a large determinant on the appearance of wrinkles. However, aging is not just wrinkles.

Aging can be either from natural causes (intrinsic) or from external factor (extrinsic). Intrinsic factors are those we have no say over. The natural ageing process happens whether we like it or not. But how your gene makeup sits will determine how your skin reacts to the changes. Intrinsic aging can be seen in fine lines and wrinkles as well as thinner looking skin. Loss of natural fats under the skin leads to visibly less firm skin and is often apparent around the neck and hands. And your skin may feel drier as well.

Extrinsic factors are those factors we can influence in relation to the rate and effect of skin ageing.

One of the biggest external factors is the sun and our exposure to it. Effects such as freckles, sun spots, leathery skin and many others can be attributed to just a few minutes exposure to the sun over a number of years. Dermatologists refer to the damage caused by the sun as photo aging. You can choose to avoid the suns rays by staying out of the peak day period, wearing protective clothing and using a good sunscreen that will protect you from both UVA and UVB damage. And this even extends to avoiding tanning salons.

Another area is smoking which has the effect of drying skin out due to the effect of smoke on the vitamin C in the skin. Also the positions assumed when smoking lead to specific wrinkling around the mouth area.

Lack of exercise, stress, lack of sleep and alcohol intake all have a direct impact on skin health and appearance.

So it seems there are a number of factors causing your skin to age. You can not do anything about the intrinsic ones but you can focus on the extrinsic ones and look at the best anti aging products to work in conjunction with whatever other changes you might make.

There are a number of anti aging skin products on the market that claim to help fight the aging process, but how do you know what to look for? There are a number of active ingredients that make up the best anti aging creams and have been shown to be beneficial for skin health and therefore impact on appearance.

Retinol: This is a form of vitamin A that has strong anti-oxidising properties. When used it can stimulate cell reproduction and after a short period of time the skin can feel firmer and smoother. It works because it can permeate below the outer skin layer down to where the damage begins on the dermal layer of skin. Studies have also shown that the combination of Retinol and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (see below) can together be more effective ingredients in the best anti aging skin cream products.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA): these are also known as fruit acids as they occur in fruit and milk. They work by loosening the bonds between dead cells and allowing those cells to therefore shed or exfoliated. Once those cells are gone the new cells look younger and smoother. The four most common AHAs are glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and mandelic acid and various concentrations are found in many anti aging skin products.

Antioxidants: This general term covers a wide range of compounds that protect the skin from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that form due to pollution, smoking, and a number of environmental effects and which damage healthy cells through oxidisation and lead to aging effects. You are already well aware of oxidisation on a cut apple, which oxidises and turns brown or on silver as it tarnishes. Antioxidants stabilize these dangerous free radicals.

There a numerous antioxidants available. Vitamins A, C and E are all natural antioxidants and are found in any number of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, sunflower oil, nuts. These three vitamins are commonly added to skin products due to the all-round goodness they provide. Beta Carotene, usually associated with carrots, but found in many orange coloured vegetables such as pumpkin, sweet potato, and fruits like mango, is a good antioxidant.

Another ingredient you may find in antioxidising products is Copper Peptide. Studies show this improves skin thickness and is important in producing both collagen and elastin. Coenzyme Q is a chemical that has been introduced to many anti aging face cream products already on the market. It works by increasing current cells energy levels and therefore reduces radical damage.

Perhaps one of the most unusual anti aging products on the market is a snail face gel. Chilean snails have been found to secrete a substance that helps repair shell damage. It has been found to smooth and strengthen skin. While it contains AHAs in the form of Glycolic acid, it is just an example that there are solutions to skin ageing out there that will continue to be discovered.

These anti aging skin products have been based on much research and formulation. The most effective will be what works with your skin, skin type and age. There is no doubt scientific research has far to go on developing more solutions, but the solutions that do exist have been proven to work.